Rail-anticreeper.



F. A. PRESTON.

RAIL ANTIOREEPER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY27, 1911.

1,084,227, PatentedJaIi. 13, 1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK A. PRESTON, OF HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE P. 86 M. 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

RAIL-ANTIGREIEIER.

vices for rails.

The anti-creepers used most extensively are adapted to grip the base of the rail in various ways and to resist a creeping tendency of said rail by means of an abutting portion on the anti-creeper which bears against the side of the adjacent cross-tie, thereby exerting a thrust against said tie. My invention, however, in its various embodiments applies to anti-creepers which grip the rail base on the opposite side of the tie from those of the usual thrust type and which, as a result, are under tension instead of compression and exert a pull on the tie in the direction of creeping.

Among the objects of my invention I aim to provide an anti-creeper of the general type outlined above, which shall effectually resist creeping of the rail, which shall act as a rail brace and also maintain the proper gage, which shall permit of fewer spikes be ing used on the rail, which shall be of simple and economical construction and which may be readily applied to a rail.

The invention may be embodied in various forms.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated two embodiments which have certain practical advantages.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of rail anchor secured to a rail and cross-tie. Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view of another form of rail anchor in operative position. Fig. 4 is an elevation thereof. Fig. 5 is a plan View of a modification of the form shown in Fig. 1. j

The first form of anti-creeper illustrated comprises preferably a substantially straight barlhaving atone end an elongated spike opening 2 and having the opposite end bent in the form of a jaw 3 adapted to grip one side of the base of the rail 4. The opening of the jaw 3 is preferably smaller than the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 27, 1911.

Patented Jan. 13, 1914..

Serial No. 640,767.

corresponding portion of the rail base so that in order to assemble the parts in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2, said jaw has to be forced on to the side of the rail base. As a result the rail base is very firmly gripped or pinched above and below but does not entirely fill the opening in the jaw as w1ll be apparent from Fig. 2. The opposite side of the rail base is adapted to be gripped by an outwardly extending abutment or lug 5, which is preferably struck up from the metal of the bar 1.

In order to assemble the anti-creeper on the rail, the jaw 3 is hooked loosely over the rail base with the main body portion 1 approximately at right angles to the rail. The end of the anti-creeper containing the spike opening is then driven rearwardly and forced or sprung up on to the tie 6. It will be apparent that when a certain angular po- Srtion of the bar 1 with respect to the rail 41- has been reached the. lug 5 will bear against one side of the rail base and cause the jaw 3 to ride up over the opposite side of the rail base and grip the same securely. As the distant end of the bar 1 is driven as far to the rear as possible, the rail base is gripped even more firmly between the abutment 5 and the jaw 3. It should be noted that the bent over portion of the jaw 8, as shown in Fig. 1, is arranged diagonally with respect to the rail and at a considerable angle with the main bodyportion 1. Therefore, as the rail anchor is being driven around to final position, the bent over portion is forced to ride higher on the rail base which grad ually increases in thickness toward the middle. As a result the rail base is very firmly pinched by the jaw and not only is the anchor adapted to prevent the rail from slipping through the same by longitudinal movement, but it is also adapted to prevent overturning of the rail. In this respect the jaw 8 acts also as a rail brace. After the end of the rail anchor has been driven rearwardly as far as possible, the spike 7 is driven through the distant end of the spike opening to retain the anchor in its most effective gripping position. It will be apparent that upon any tendency of the rail to creep in the direction indicated by the arrow, there will be a tendency of the anchor to swing or skew about the spike 7 as a pivot, thereby still further increasing the grip of the rail anchor on the rail base. The main body portion of the rail anchor is therefore put un' der tension, the creeping tendency being resisted by the spike 7. Furthermore, the tendency of the rail to spread is prevented, as the distant end of the rail anchor is preferably arranged on the inner side of the rail. in view of this additional safeguard against spreading of the rail, two spikes 8 may be used to secure the rail to the tie, an additional spike on the outer side of the rail base, such as is often used, being unnecessary. The engaging lug 5, which is shown as being struck up perpendicularly from the bar 1, may be bent over the rail base by hammer blows, if desired.

When the rail retracts, as sometimes occurs, the rail anchor as a whole is moved back slightly, the enlarged spike opening 2 permitting the necessary play or looseness between the bar 1 and the spike 7. If this feature was not provided, the rail anchor would be forced to spring outward slightly and loosen its grip on the rail, thereby decreasing its effectiveness, and particularly the effectiveness of the hold of the jaw 3. In this connection it should be noted that the distant end of the bar 1 is bent upward slightly, as shown in Fig. 2, to permit said end to slide rearwardly over the tie without danger of catching or tearing the wood fibers.

The form of anti-creeper illustrated in Fig. 3 comprises the bar 9 bent substantially at right angles. The end jaw 10 and projecting lug or abutment 11 are similar in general to the corresponding features previously described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. The lug 11, however, is preferably struck up from the rear side of the bar, rather than from the forward side thereof, so that the rail base is gripped at points which are staggered or off-set with respectto each other, as is the case also with the device shown in Fig. 1. The spike 12, arranged in the elongated slot 13, has the same function as the spike previously described. The lug 11 is illustrated as being bent over the rail base. At the time the rail anchor is applied to the rail, this lug projects vertically, and may be left in this position if desired, although it is shown as bent over for the purpose of affording additional security.

The general operation of this form of rail anchor is substantially similarto that already described. The tendency of the rail to creep is resisted by the spike 12 which causes a slight tendency toward a skewing action, thereby increasing the grip on the rail base. Rearward movement of the rail is permitted by the elongated slot 13.

In both forms of the devices, it will be apparent that the rail is gripped by a transversely extending member provided with jaws, and that this member is provided with an extension acting as a tension member, which extension may be in alinement with said member as in Fig. 1, or it may be at a considerable angle thereto, as in Fig. 3. It is apparent that it may also be arranged in various other ways, the main function being to restrain the jaw or the clip nearest to the tie, so that when the rail tends to creep, the jaw or clip farthest from the tie will tend to travel with the rail, thereby causing a slight skewing or twisting action, causing an an increased gripping of the rail base.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated an anticreeper similar in general form to that shown in Fig. 1, with the abutment 5 replaced by an ordinary spike 1% driven through an appropriately located opening in the bar 15. Old spikes are rather easily obtained and are very cheap substitutes for the struck up abutment 5. Of course, it is appar ent that the spike may be used with either form of device shown in Figs. 1 and 3 in place of the abutment therein shown. After these spikes are driven into position, the lower portion may be bent, if desired, to prevent their ready withdrawal.

It is apparent that the invention is not limited to the forms described above, as these forms were selected for the purpose of illustration only. I therefore do not desire to limit. myself to the general forms described nor to the details thereof, but desire to include broadly any suitable equivalent means for accomplishing the desired results and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent. of the United States is 1. An anti-creeper comprising a member having jaws for frictionally gripping a rail base between them and adapted to increase their grip upon a tendency of said member to skew, and means connecting one side of the said member with a cross tie to cause a skewing action when said member tends to move away from said tie due to the creeping tendency of the rail, whereby said rail is held entirely by the frictional engagement of said anti-creeper therewith.

2. An anti-creeper including a tension member adapted to be spiked to a tie and provided with an enlarged spike opening to permit a return movement of said member.

8. An anti-creepercomprising a member having a spike opening at one end and having the other end bent over to form a jaw of less dimensions than the corresponding portion of the rail base, and an abutment for the opposite side of the rail base arranged between said ends.

4:. An anti-creeper comprising a member having a spike opening at one end and having the other end bent over to form a jaw of less dimensions than the corresponding portion of the rail base, and an abutment for the opposite side of the rail base struck up enlarged to permit a slight return movement from said member. of said rail Without loosening said hook 5. A one-piece anti-creeper having means from said rail. for preventing the longitudinal movement In Witness whereof I have hereunto sub- 5 of a rail aWay from a cross-tie, said antiscribed my name in the presence of two Witoreeper being held to said rail entirely by nesses. frictional engagement therewith.

6. An anti-creeper adapted to overlie atie and be spiked thereto at one extremity, 10 and provided With a rail gripping hook at its other extremity, the spike opening being FREDERICK A. PRESTON.

Witnesses GEO. B. J oNEs, MARY M. DILLMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

